Wireless Apple AirPods will force you to switch to iPhone

Apple event in San Francisco had some major revelations including the iPhone 7 line-up, Apple Watch 2 and also the AirPods. The latter being their most innovative product for a long time now. Apple AirPods are wireless earpods which cover-up Apple’s decision to finally get rid of the 3.5 mm jack. Although, Apple claims it takes courage to make a bold decision like this, only time will tell if it has any implication on the future of 3.5 mm headphone jack which has become industry standard for mobile devices. Coming on to the AirPods, Apple has broken the jinx of wireless earpods not being that appealing to the crown in terms of their use.

Design

One can clearly see the clean, integrated design of the AirPods catch the eye on first look. Just like their wired earpods, the wireless version has an ergonomic design which fits comfortably inside the ear. However, it has to be admitted that the AirPods could have been more polished on the surface for a crisp look.

Hardware

Apple AirPods have a W1 wireless chip which makes connectivity a quick work. In conjunction with the software, these earpods manage to solve a function that other earpods haven’t managed to do. You don’t have to go through the irritating drill of pairing them up with your Apple device as everything is done by the device and accompanying software. To beef-up its smart quotient, Apple have installed optical sensors and motion accelerometers to automatically play sound as soon as you plug-in the AirPods. When communicating with Siri, the beamforming microphones kick into action and filter all the extra sounds in the space.

Sound

Apple claims that these earpods sound different from what you’ve heard till now thanks to the digital processing done by the smart microchip. That said, they haven’t emphasized much on the music playback aspect. The only thing they are highlighting on is their high-quality AAC audio which is rich and crisp. Rather they have pressed on the noise cancelling features which lets you communicate with Siri even in the most crowded places.

Connectivity

The device connects to compatible Apple devices in a snap and is by far the best at doing it. This very feature will take the AirPods a long way when it comes to beating the competition. The software and W1 chip make switching from one Apple device to the other very easy.

Compatibility

AirPods are compatible with iPhone 5 (and higher) phones, iPad mini 2 (and higher), Apple Watch Series 1 (and higher) and Mac PCs. It is hard to say at this point in time whether these wireless earpods are going to be compatible with other mobile devices in the future, but I believe Apple has to push cross platform compatibility for these earpods by somehow solving the lighting connector hassle.

Battery life & Charging

The AirPods come with a charging case which charges the individual earpods to provide 5 hours of non-stop playback on single charge. The built-in battery inside the case ensures 25 hours of reserve power for people who spend most of their time outdoors. Apple claims that 15 minutes of charging provides 3 hours of playback time.

Usability

Putting these earpods and going for rigorous fitness, sports or athletic activities is going to be a strict no no. The reason, well, these earpods are going to fall off your ears and you don’t want to lose them in a puddle of water. That is one major usability issue that Apple needs to solve if they want to pitch these earpods as next gen accessories.

Pricing & Availability

Apple AirPods are going to be available for a price of $159 USD by late October, and you can get one from the Apple Store of their online portal.

Comments

Hailing from the northern region of India, Gaurav has a profound liking for everything upbeat in the cloud and vision to acquaint readers with the latest technology news. He likes to observe nature, write thought provoking quotes, travel places, drive cars and play video games when things get too boring. And his food for thought comes from ambient music scores he listens to.